Fuel-feed system



Oct. 1, 1929. E. R. HUNTLEY 1,

FUEL FEED SYSTEM Filed April 12, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E W I I INVENTOR.Ernest RHuntley BY ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1929.

E. R. HUNTLEY 1,729,723

FUEL FEED SYSTEM Filed Apr-i1 12, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.Erneszf RHunt 1e ATTORNEY".

Oct. 1, 1929. E. R. HUNTL EY FUEL FEED SYSTEM Filed April 12 1920 5Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. Ernesi Rlfunflw BY .ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1929. I E.R. HUNTLEY 1,729,723

FUEL FEED SYSTEM Filed April 12, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 63 \igq 62INVENTOR. Ernesi RAHun-Mey E -q m ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1929.

E. R. HUNTLEY FUEL FEED SYSTEM .1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 12 INV EN T OR. Em est R. Huntley BY 3 z 3 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 1, 1929UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST R. HUNTLEY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNORTO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH COR- PORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE FUEL-FEED SYSTEM Application filed April 12,

This invention relates to improvements in liquid feeding systems. -Whileit is capable of more or less general application, the invention isintended primarily for use in connection with internal combustionengines, particularly when employed upon vehicles such as automobiles.

It has been proposed heretofore-to employ a diaphragm pump for raisingfuel in automobiles, the diaphragm being actuated by various means, forexample, by suction impulses transmitted from the engine intake, but inactual practice these pumps have proven inefiicient because of the factthat the diaphragms break down after a comparatively short interval ofuse. This failure I attribute to the rapid vibrating or trembling of thediaphragm, which produces crystalliza tion of the metal and eventualbreakage.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a means foractuating a diaphragm pump slowly and without trembling in order tolengthen the life of the diaphragm.

Another object is the provision of means for feeding fuel from a lowlevel tank directly to a high level carbureter.

Another object is the provision of apparatus for pumping two differentliquids, such for instance as fuel and lubricant, wherein the pumpingimpulses are exertedupon one. of said liquids and transmitted to theother through a movable wall, preferabl 9. diaphragm.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fuel pump in whichthe pumping impulses are produced by a piston moving in a cylinder, butin which the fuel is prevented from coming in contact with the pistonand cylinder. This is particularly important for the reason thatgasoline is a solvent of lubricating oil and hence it is practicallyimpossible to provide proper lubrication for moving parts with whichgasoline comes in contact.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a fuel feedsvstem taking fuel direct to the carbureter, in which there is a pumpoperating at a speed proportional to the speed of the engine, but inwhich the 1920. Serial N0. 373,225.

amount of fuel raised is automatically controlled by the needle valve ofthe carbureter.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of construction andeconomies of manufacture will appear as I proceed with the descriptionof that embodiment of the invention, which, for the purposes of thepresent application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure I is a central. vertical, sectional view through apreferred form of pump.

Fig. II is a view partially in transverse vertical section on the line11-11, Fig. I.

Fig. III is a front elevation of the pump.

Fig. IV is a view principally in horizontal section on the line IV-IV,Fig. III.

Fig. V is a vertical section taken on the line VV, Fig. IV, and showingin elevation the pump casing on the fuel side of the diaphragm.

Fig. VI is a vertical section taken on the line VIVI, Fig. I, showing inelevation the pump casing on the oil side of the diaphragm.

Fig. VII is a more or less diagrammatic view showing the preferred formof the invention as applied to use in connection with the engine of anautomobile.

Fig. VIII is a central, vertical, sectional view of an oil pump employedin a modified form of the invention.

Fig. IX is a vertical, transverse, sectional view taken substantially onthe line IX-IX, Fig. VIII.

Fig. X is a vertical, sectional view showing a fuel pump employed in themodified form of the invention.

Fig. XI is a vertical. transverse, sectional view taken on the lineXI-XI, Fig. X.

Fig. XII is a bottom plan view of a structure shown in Fig. X, and

Fig. XIII is a more or less diagrammatic view showing the application ofthe modified form of the invention to use in connection with the engineof an automobile.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views.

Referring first to Figs. I to VII inclusive of the drawings 10 indicatesan internal combustion engine having a carbureter 11 with a fuel intakepipe 12. 13 represents the outer mounted in the side of the engine crankcase 14. 15 is a low level tank from which a pipe 16 leads to the pump.Oil is raised through a pipe 17 from a reservoir in the bottom of thecrank case to-the rear side of the pump, while it leaves'the' pumpthrough pipes 18 and 19 which lead it to the parts of the engine needinglubrication.

The. rear side 20 of the pump casing has centrally thereof abarrel-shaped extension 21 which fits within a perforation in a wall ofthe crank case 14, the extension being provided with a peripheral flange22 by means of which attachment to the crank case may be eifected,-as bymeans of fastenings 22'.. The extension 21 is open at the rear and isbored out centrally to form a cylinder for the reception of a piston 23.Ihe latter is adapted to be driven in one direction by a cam 24 mountedupon a shaft 25 driven from the engine,

' while its motion in the opposite" direction is The forward end of thecylinder is closed partially in order to provide an abutment againstwhich the spring may bear. A diaphragm 28 is mounted between the frontand rear sides 13 and 20 of the pump casing.

Both of these sides are slightly concave except at their peripheries.clamped tightly together by means of machine screws 29- which passthrough register ing holes in the diaphragm. The diaphragm is thus freeto vibrate except at its periphery.

In order to enlarge somewhat the principal path for the movement of oilthrough the pump the part 20 of the casing has a central vertical groove30 connecting the pumping cylinder-by means of aperture 31 with the oilinlet opening 32 at the-bottom and the oil exit passage 33 at the top.The inlet opening 32 connects the groove 30 with a valve chamber 34 inwhich an upwardly opening ball check 35 is located. The oil pipe 17 issecured to the pump casing below the valve brication. Preferably 'thisconductor divides into two branches having two valve chambers 36 and 37in which are outwardly opening spring pressed ball checks 38 and 39respectively. From these chamberslead the pipes The latter are.

18 and 19 with which connection is made by any suitable means. Y

The fuel raising part of the pump is located upon the opposite side ofthe diaphragm 28.. The front plate 13 of the casing has a centralprojection in which is formed a passage 40 to a valve chamber 41, inwhich is mounted an upwardly opening flat check valve 42, the latterbeing prevented by a depending pin 43 from rising too far off its seat.A suitable connector joins the pipe 16 with the casing below the valvechamber 41. From the point at which the passage 40 opens into the spacein front of the diaphragm the front plate 13 of the casing is preferablygrooved out slightly to increase the size of the most direct pathbetween the fuel inletat the center and the fuel exit passage 44 at thetop of the pumping chamber. The passage 44 leads to a valve chamber 45in which is an upwardly opening flat check Valve 46 for preventing thebackward flow of fuel to the pumping chamber. Pipe 12 extends upwardlyfrom this valve chamber 45.

Now, referring to the modified form of the invention illustrated inFigs. VIII to XIII inclusive, it will be noted that the oil'pump aloneis mounted on the crank case-of the engine and that the diaphragm pumpfor raising fuel is mounted below the main fuel tank, the diaphragmbeing actuated by impulses transmitted from the oil pump through acolumn of oil which extends into a cavity on one side of the diaphragm.The oil pump casing has a rearwardly extending cylinder 50 with aperipheral flange 51 for attachment to the wall of the crank case 14. Apiston 23, which may be identical with the corresponding part of thefirst described form, is driven in one direction by a cam 24 mountedupon a shaft 25 as in the previous case. Return motion of the piston isaccomplished by a spring 26 surrounding guide pin 27, which arrangementis also identical with that of Fig. I. The forward end of the cylinderis connected by a short passage 52 with three valve chambers 53, 54 and55. An upwardly or inwardly opening ball check 56 is located in thechamber 53 and prevents backward flow of oil into the pipe 17 In thechambers 54 and 55 are outwardly opening ball checks 57 and 58respectively which prevent backward flow of oil into the pump from thepipes 18 and 19 leading to the parts of the engine requiringlubrication. v

Through the upper side of the cylinder 50, opposite the short passage52, is a passage 59. A pipe 60 is secured to the pump casing above thispassage. The pipev 60 is of considerable length and is joined at itsopposite end to a projection depending from the bottom plate 61 of adiaphragm casing. The bore ofthe pipe connects with the passages 62 and63 and thereby with a cavity in the pump casing below a diaphragm 65.The

latter is clamped at its periphery between the plate 61 and an upperplate 66, the three parts being secured together firmly and with aliquid tight joint by means of machine screws 67 The upper plate 66includes an enlargement in which are located a horizontal passage 67 anda vertical passage 68. The latter passage runs through an upstandingtubular element which is threaded at its upper end to fit the threads ofthe socket 69 ordinarily provided in the bottom of the main fuel tankfor the accommodation of the drain plug. Above one end of the passage 67is a valve chamber 7 O in which there is an upwardly opening flat checkvalve 71. In communication with this valve chamber and upon oppositesides of the passage 67 are a pair of vertical passages 72 and 73 whichopen at their lower, ends into a cavity 74 above the diaphragm 65. Ashort vertical passage 75 connects the cavity 74 with a valve chamber 76in which is located an upwardly opening flat check valve 77. It will benoted that with relation to the diaphragm, valve 71 opens inwardly andvalve 77 outwardly. A connector 78 is threaded into a projection uponthe upper plate 66 of the pump casing directly above the valve chamber76 and to the other extremity of the connector is secured by anysuitable means a pipe 79 leading to the carbureter 11.

Operation In both modifications of my invention operation of the oilcirculating means is substantially the same. In both cases movement ofthe piston 23 to the right (Fig. I and Fig. VIII) by means of the spring26 exerts a suction impulse permitting atmospheric or other pressure inthe crank case 14 to force oil up pipe 17 thereby raising ball check 35or 56 as the case may be, and on into the space above the valve. Thenthe movement of the piston towards the left by means of cam 24 forces acertain proportion of the oil above the lower check valve through ballchecks 38 and 39 or 57 and 58, as the case may be, through pipes 18 and19 into the engine bearings, etc., whence it flows back to the reservoirin the bottom of the crank case and is ready to be taken into the pumponce more. The circulation of oil is thus continuous, and the quantitypumpedis proportional to the speed of the engine. The amount of oilpumped will be affected slightly, although not very materially, by thechanging amplitude of vibration of the diaphragm 28. In other words moreoil will-be pumped when the diaphragm is absolutely still than when itmoves back andforth in response to the compression and rarefactionimpulses in the oil.

In the structure of Figs. I to VII inclusive the pumping diaphragm islocated in the same casing with the reciprocating piston. Now a suctionimpulse in the oil produced by the travel of the piston to the rightcauses the center of the diaphragm also to move to the right, producinga suction impulse in the fuel pumping chamber at the left of thediaphragm. This enables atmospheric pressure above the fuel in the mainfuel tank to force fuel up pipe 16, past check valve 42, and throughvalve chamber 41 and passage 40 into the space above the diaphragm. Thenthe return movement of the piston causes the oil to push the middle ofthe diaphragm to the left causing a compression impulse in the fuelpumping chamber which forces fuel through passage 44, past valve 46 andout through pipe 12 to the carbureter. If it be assumed that thecarbureter is demanding fuel the diaphragm 28 must move back and forthin response to each pumping impulse in the oil caused by thereciprocation of thepiston 23. The extent of this movement will bedependent upon the requirements of the carbureter at the time, that is,when the engine throttle is open and considerable fuel is being takeninto the carbureter in proportion to the speed of the engine, then thevibration of the diaphragm will be greater than when the throttle isclosed entirely but the engine running, as when an automobile istraveling down hill, there will be no movement whatever of thediaphragm. At such times it is supported as a rigid wall by the fuel infront of it, and although the circulation of oil continues no fuel ispumped. Thus the quantity of fuel raised at all times is controlledautomatically by the needle valve of the carbureter. This eliminates anyneed whatever for an auxiliary or high level tank.

In the structure of Figs. VIII to XIII, inclusive, the operation of theoil pumping part of the apparatus is the same as in the firstmodification except that the piston pump, in addition to maintaining aconstant circulation of oil to the moving parts, also exerts compressionand rarefaction impulses alternately upon a column of oil contained inpipe 60. This pipe is full of oil which moves back and forth slightly inresponse to the force exerted by the piston, except at times when theneedle valve of the carbureter is closed and the diaphragm isconsequently rigidly cushioned by the fuel in cavity 74. \Vhen thiscondition obtains the full strength of the pumping impulses of thepiston 23 is exerted to circulate oil instead of being partiallyexpended in moving the column of oil in the pipe 60. During theoperation of the fuel pumping apparatus the movement of the oil beneaththe diaphragm 65 causes the latter to move up and down, producingcompression and rarefaction impulses in the pumping chamber above. Theseimpulses alternately force fuel up past check valve 77 and through pipe79 to the carbureter and permit fuel todescend through passages 68 and67 past check valve 71 and through assages 72 and 7 3 into the cavity 74;. As in t e case of'the first modification," the extent of movement ofthe diaphragm and the consequent 'amount'of fuel pumped are regulated'automatically by the needle valve of the carbureter. It should beunderstood that although my invention is adapted to be employed withoutan auxiliary or high level tank for fuel, never- 10 theless theinvention is not necessarily restricted to a system in which theauxiliary tank is omitted.

I am aware that the particular embodiment of my invention abovedescribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is susceptibleof considerable variation without departing from the'spirit thereof, andtherefore I Wish to claim my invention broadly as Well as specificallyas indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, two liquid feed systems, a pair of chambers one ineach of said systems separated by a diaphragm, means for producing apumping cycle in the liquid in one of said chambers whereby thediaphragm is actuated to produce a similar cycle in the liquid in theother chamber, the impulse time of such cycle being less than thenon-impulse time.

2. In a gas engine, the combination of a lubricating oil system, a fueloil system, a pairof chambers, one in each of said systems separated bya diaphragm, means for producing pumping impulses in the lubricating oilchamber whereby the diaphragm is actuated to produce similar impulses inthe fuel oil chamber. I

3. In a gas engine, the combination of a 40 lubricating oil system, afuel oil system, a pair of chambers, one in each of said systemsseparated by a diaphragm mechanically operated, means for producingpumping impulses in the lubricating oil chamber where by the diaphragmis actuated to produce similar impulses in the fuel oil chamber.

4. In a gas engine, the combination of a lubricating liquid .tank, adistributing system for said lubricating liquid, a fuel li uid tank, adistributing system for said uel liquid, a casing connected to bothdistributing systems, a diaphragm in said casing dividing the same intotwo chambers, one chamber connecting with. the lubricating 5-5 systemand the other chamber connecting with the fuel system, and pumping meansin the lubricating system chamber, having a cycle with the im ulse timeless than the nonimpulse time inc uding a reciprocable iston 00 adaptedtqjpump a lubricant through t e lubricating system and to flex thediaphra m,

I thereby causing pumping action in the uel systemi In testimony whereofI aflix my signature.

ERNEST R. HUNTLEY.

